


Into The Flames

by Miss_Peg



Category: Station 19 (TV)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Romance, F/F, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-10-14 21:31:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20607647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Peg/pseuds/Miss_Peg
Summary: A year after Ripley's death, Vic supports Maya with something big in her life, which brings them closer than they've ever been before. Yes, it's a Vic/Maya fic. No, I'm not sorry.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author Note: Hi there, this is my first Station 19 fic, though it’s certainly not my ever first fic (15 years and going strong). I’ve struggled to write over the last year so thought I’d try something new. Unfortunately for me I ship a couple that doesn’t exist, not even in their own world, and nobody seems to have written fanfiction for them. So, I guess I’ll have to do it myself…just so you know, I DO love Vicley. But I also love the idea of Mayic? Hughop? I have no idea what their ship name would be. But the options don’t feel great, so maybe it’s just not meant to be. Except in this fic…all mistakes are my own.
> 
> Disclaimer: Station 19 is not mine, I only play at being a firefighter

The empty apartment gradually lit up as the light came on. Maya placed her keys on the table by the door and looked up. She startled, stepping back slightly.

“Jeez. Vic. You scared me.”

She didn’t move. Maya stepped forwards, closing the gap between her and the couch. She threw herself down into the space beside Vic.

“Hey, Vic?” she sighed. She was asleep. She grasped her shoulder gently and gave it a shake. “You should go to bed.”

“What?” Vic opened her eyes and glanced at Maya. She looked away and back again, blinking rapidly. She yawned. “Maya?”

“You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Vic.” She stared at her, her eyes wide, trying to say the words without needing to speak them. Vic didn’t bite. “What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing makes you fall asleep sitting up on the couch in the dark?”

“Was it dark?” She asked, looking around the illuminated room.

“How long have you been here?”

“I dunno.”

“Since we finished work?” Vic shrugged. Maya sighed again. She squeezed Vic’s arm. “I know tomorrow’s gonna to be difficult.”

The sleepy expression on Vic’s face changed rapidly. Her teeth pressed together, her jaw shook. “You don’t have a clue what tomorrow is going to be.”

“A year, Vic. We were all there in the hospital. I know we weren’t gonna marry the guy, but it’s still hard.”

“Yeah.” She grunted softly and cleared her throat. She stood up. “I’m going to bed.”

Maya stood beside her. “Come on, Vic. Don’t be like that.”

“Like what?” she spun around, tears filled her eyes and she glanced away. “It’s been a year, Maya. A year. What do I do with that?”

“I don’t...” Maya reached out and pulled her into her arms. “I don’t know.”

Sinking into her arms, Vic’s cries grew more intense, longer, until she could barely catch her breath. She wrapped her arms tightly around Maya’s waist, resting her head against her chest. The beat of her heart brought about a calmness she hadn’t felt in a long while.

“I’m fine.” She pulled back, forging the briefest smile. “I’ll be okay.”

“It’s okay if you’re not.”

“I know.” She shrugged and headed across the room. “Thanks for letting me crash, again.”

“Any time.” Maya took off her jacket and laid it across the back of the couch then headed in the direction of Vic. Before she could walk out of the room, she gripped her wrist. “Hey, you know you’re welcome to move in, if that’s what you want. You’ve spent enough time here this year, you practically live here.”

Vic chewed on her lip, tears still lingering on her cheeks. She swiped a hand across them. “You sure Andy wouldn’t mind?”

“Like she’s ever here!” Maya rolled her eyes. “She might as well move in with Sully for what it’s worth.”

“Let me think about it, yeah?”

“Sure.” Maya let go, her fingers trailed across the back of her hand. “There’s no rush.”

“Night.”

X

The next morning, Vic lay in bed, staring into space. Nothing felt right today. It didn’t specifically feel wrong, like it had the year before, but it didn’t feel right. Her heart ached, far deeper than it had in months. Her head pounded. She’d slept well, at least for a few hours. But the second she woke, and noticed it was past midnight, the harder it was to drift back to sleep. She heard Maya get up and go out. An hour later and she heard the door open again.

Nothing had changed. The world kept on turning. As it had after Lucas died. She didn’t know what she’d expected, but this wasn’t it.

A gentle knock at the bedroom door reminded her she wasn’t alone. She opened her mouth but her lips were dry. No words came out. The door opened.

“Vic.” Maya smiled at her, a tray of food in her hands. She held it up and walked towards the bed. “I can leave you alone, if you want.”

“No.” Her response surprised her. She expected to ask her to go, and yet she didn’t really want that. She patted the bed beside her. “You should eat.”

They sat in silence, side by side. Maya enjoyed the breakfast she’d made while Vic nibbled on the same corner of toast.

“What time is it?” Vic looked over at the clock and tossed the bedsheets aside, she knelt up and grabbed the fork out of Maya’s hand. “You’re late for work. Don’t be late for me.”

“It’s fine.”

“No! It’s not.” Vic slid the tray aside and tried to push Maya off the bed. “Don’t be stupid.”

“Vic, stop. I’m not going in today.”

Vic paused on her hands and knees. She glanced away, then back up again, barely catching her eye. “You don’t need to not go to work because of me.”

“It’s too late. I already called Sullivan.”

“Maya, no!”

She shrugged. “Whether you want me to take the day off or not, it’s happening. You don’t have to entertain me, I have things I can be doing.”

“Like going to work.”

“We all agreed...” she trailed off.

Vic gritted her teeth and breathed out heavily. “You all agreed.”

“Travis was going to take the day but then he got asked to deliver that presentation at the school and I told him you’d probably end up crashing at our place anyway. Andy’s been AWOL since she started spending so much time at Sullivan’s, so it might as well be me.”

Vic lowered herself onto the bed, face first, and closed her eyes. Her shoulders shook slowly, as her tears increased. “You don’t...I don’t need...thanks.”

Resting a hand on her back, Maya gave her shoulder the briefest squeeze. “You’re family. It’s the least I can do.”

X

“Herrera, where are you?” Maya shouted into her radio. She paced back and forth across the courtyard.

The line crackled. “In the eastern stairwell, We’ve just found the child. Gibson’s doing initial checks. We’ll be out soon.”

“Hughes, we need the aid car ready,” she shouted.

“On it,” Vic shouted back, Ben on the other side as they wheeled the gurney closer to the entrance.

The fourth floor continued to burn. Windows broke as the flames took hold. Suddenly, a gust of dust and flames tunnelled out of every available hole on the upper floor. The courtyard went silent. The radio line barely crackled.

“Herrera!” Maya shouted into her radio, again. No response. “Andy. I need a response. What is happening?”

She glanced back at Hughes, whose hand rested on her forehead, her face paled.

“Come on, Andy. Gibson. Somebody, please answer me.”

“Bishop!” Vic called. She glanced back at the building, her heart pounding. Round the side of the brick wall, Andy and Jack appeared, at either end of a stretcher.

“Hughes!” Maya shouted, calling her forward. Ben and Vic wheeled the gurney further for Andy and Jack to lower the girl onto. Maya’s heart rate continued to speed along, gradually slowing as relief settled in.

X

“I’ve got chicken jambalaya on the hob, you’d better not have plans tonight,” Vic shouted as Maya arrived home. Silence. She turned down the hob and headed towards the entrance to the kitchen. “Maya?”

She stood with her back to Vic. Her shoulders were drooped, moving involuntarily. She moved her hand to her face.

“Maya. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Her voice broke, betraying her words.

“Don’t nothing me.”

“Seriously, I’m fine.”

Vic shook her head and walked towards her, stepping out in front of her before she could turn away again. Tears streamed down her face, forging tracks across her skin.

Her mouth slightly open, Vic reached out her hands to Maya’s arms, her eyes wide. “What is going on?”

“Bad day.”

She narrowed her gaze. “We work together, Bishop. You can’t pull the bad day card. We spent most of the day together.”

“I need a shower,” Maya said, swiping her hand across her eyes. She turned to walk away.

“Stop.” Vic grasped at her wrist, holding her steady. She moved to her front and ran her hands up her arms, staring into her eyes. “You have literally saved my life this past year. Talk to me. Don’t shut me out, Maya. I’m here for you. Don’t do this alone.”

“Mason.” She let out a choked sob and lowered her gaze, wiping at fresh tears with her fingers. “My, my brother.”

“I didn’t know you had a brother.” Vic frowned. She reached a hand out and brushed the tears from Maya’s cheek. “What’s happened?

“Di…died, he died.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the response I’ve had. I know S19 is a smaller fandom at the moment, which is a shame in some ways, but it’s so good to be part of a fandom again. I missed writing, and though I know my writing might not be its best, I am enjoying having a go again. Kudos/likes are appreciated, comments are so lovely – they certainly make me feel motivated to write more. Thanks for being kind.

Vic turned off the pot. The apartment was silent. Maya had gone for a shower, then disappeared into her bedroom. In some ways, Vic was relieved. It was barely a week since the anniversary of Lucas's death. She wasn't ready to deal with someone else's grief. Least not such a powerful grief as the loss of someone close. She felt a newfound respect for Travis in the days after Lucas's death, and she wondered if he had felt similar conflicting feelings.

She finally moved from her spot in the middle of the kitchen, and took two bowls from the cupboard. She served up dinner, and placed the bowls and two forks onto a tray side by side.

"Mai." She knocked. Silence. She knocked again. No response. "I'm coming in, so unless you really don't want me to you need to say something."

No response once more. She struggled to juggle the tray as she pushed down on the door handle. On the other side of the door, Maya sat on her bed, staring into space. She balanced the tray against the handle and rapped her knuckles once more on the door.

Maya looked up. "Oh. Hi."

"I brought dinner," Vic said, holding up the tray.

"I'm not..."

"Don't need to eat." She smiled. "It's here if you want."

She carried the food across the room and placed it down on the bed. She sat down. She knew she was potentially overstepping during a very difficult moment, but she also knew that she'd appreciated that in ways she still couldn't yet put into words.

"I love me some chicken," she muttered, taking her bowl and mixing the contents with a fork. She scooped some into her mouth and sat back, silently waiting for something to happen beyond her chewing.

Nothing did. At least not for another fifteen minutes, or so. She was almost down to the last of her food when Maya's head landed on her shoulder. Fresh tears dropped onto the edge of her shirt and down to her bare arm. It tickled, but she didn't move.

"Thanks," Maya whispered. "For being here."

She had her mouth full of food and by the time she had swallowed the moment had passed. After her bowl was empty, she shifted her arm around Maya's shoulder and held her close.

X

A few hours later, Vic woke with a start. Maya was asleep on the other side of the bed, and Vic felt a chill on her shoulders. She glanced at the clock. It was after midnight. The apartment was silent. She closed her eyes; any energy to move disappeared into her already sleepy body. She shuffled down and pulled the bedsheets around her.

Then the apartment door opened.

Vic sat up quickly and remembered the first thing she should have done when she realised that Maya needed someone.

She ran out of Maya's room and into the living area. Andy stood, her hair a little dishevelled and a grin spread across her face. Sullivan's arms snaked around her body, one hand slipped under the waistband of her pants. She moved back in and kissed him. But his eyes were already on Vic's face.

"Stop." He pushed her away. She stood upright. Her eyes finally landed on Vic.

She shifted from one foot to the other. In the year of being there on and off, Vic had somehow managed to avoid seeing them in the middle of...something, helped by their gravitation towards Sullivan's place.

"What's wrong?" Andy stared, her face paled. Her eyes searching.

"Maya's brother died."

Andy rushed out of the room and into Maya's bedroom. A moment later, she returned to the living area.

"She's asleep."

Sullivan looked to Vic. "What happened?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "You know Maya. She doesn't talk much."

Andy stared from Vic to Sullivan and back again. "What do we do? Should I wake her?"

"No." Both Vic and Sullivan spoke at once. Vic continued. "She needs her rest. She'll be awake soon enough."

"I should be there when she wakes," Andy said, looking to Sullivan.

"Of course." He motioned to Vic. "You both should."

X

When the sun shone through her curtains, Maya opened her eyes. For the briefest moment it felt like every other day. Except she'd slept better than she had in years. She felt guilt bubble up inside until it almost drowned her. She didn't want to vocalise the thoughts inside her head. If she did, it made it all more real, more painful. She shifted her foot, accidentally kicking something hard. The briefest smile crept onto her face.

Vic.

She wasn't sure why she was asleep across the bottom of the bed, until her eyes landed on Andy. She'd forgotten to tell her, and as far as she was aware, Vic hadn't either. Another feeling bubbled up, but she pushed it down before she could even acknowledge its existence.

She rolled into her back. They both continued to sleep and she felt grateful for their presence. She turned over and closed her eyes, but more sleep was a lifetime away. She kicked her foot out again, she wanted to believe it was involuntary, but she wasn't sure that it was.

"Ow!"

A small smile crept back onto her face. She should have felt guilty. But she didn't. She pulled her feet out from under Vic's head and her cheek landed on the bedsheets. Vic groaned again, her eyes open.

"Morning." Vic caught her eye and smiled. "I would ask how you're feeling, but I know you hate that question on a good day."

"Thanks." Maya climbed out from under the sheets and stood up. "I should shower."

"You can stay in bed if you want," Vic said. "Nobody's expecting you at work."

"But Sullivan..."

"Came over with Andy last night and is asleep in her bed because of what happened." Vic shrugged and sat up. She narrowed her eyes. Maya frowned. "He knows. I told him. No, I won't apologise because it was the only way to get Andy to stop sucking his face off."

Maya nodded. She didn't know what else to say. She didn't much want to talk anymore. She headed for her closet and took out a fresh towel. Lifting it in the air, she walked out of the room in silence.

X

"Someone should stay with her." Andy ran her finger around the brim of her coffee mug. Sullivan pushed a plate of toast in front of her.

Vic walked across the room, a towel wrapped around her shoulders to catch drips from her shower. "I'll do it."

Andy shrugged. "I don't mind..."

"Since Jack left, you're needed." Vic grabbed a piece of Andy's uneaten toast and chewed on a corner, her mouth full as she continued. "As lieutenant. I can do it."

"She makes a point." Sullivan said, kissing the top of Andy's head. "I can't really manage without you, Andy. Not when we're down Bishop, too.

X

Maya sat on the couch staring at the same three words of a fire manual. She'd barely glanced at them since Andy moved in, and she didn't really feel able to focus on them now, but it helped to have something to focus on. Even if it did mean thinking the same three words over and over again.

"Do we need to do anything?" Vic asked, placing a mug of coffee on the table in front of Maya and sitting down beside her. "Is there anyone you need to call?"

"No." May flicked the page and stared at the heading of the next section of the manual. "My parents were at the hospital. They're letting everyone know."

"Will they make the funeral arrangements? Do you want me to drive you over there so you can help? What can I do, Mai? Give me something to do."

Closing her eyes, Maya grunted softly. "Just stop, Vic. Please."

"Sorry." Vic stood up, scratching the back of her neck; she cleared her throat and stepped away. "I should leave you."

"No." Maya rubbed at her eyes. They were dry. But there was something about the act of rubbing them that made her feel like she was feeling…something. Doing, something. "I'm sorry. You're trying to help."

"I don't really have a clue what I'm doing." Vic held her arms up at her sides and shook her head. "I've never had to, I don't know how to deal with somebody else's, I mean…this isn't something I should be telling you, it doesn't matter. What matters is you and your grief and I'm rambling on about nothing."

"Vic. It's fine."

"No, it's not. I stayed home so I could be here for you and all I've done since you came out of your room is make a big ol' mess of it."

Maya stood up. Fresh tears gathered on her eyelids and she blinked them away. "Vic, stop."

"I'm gonna go out," Vic said, her hands out in front of her. "Look at you, I'm making everything worse. I'm gonna give you some space."

"No." Maya reached out and grabbed her wrist. "Please. I don't wanna be alone."

"Oh." Vic nodded. She stopped and turned, forging a smile. Before Vic could say anything more, Maya wrapped her arms around her waist and clung to her. She needed her. Even if she was a rambling mess. Vic lowered a hand against her back.

"Don't go out. Don't leave me alone."

"I won't, if that's what..." She trailed her hand back and forth across Maya's back and nuzzled her face against the side of her head. She sunk into her embrace, and though she knew the hug was for Maya, she sought comfort in her arms. "I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoyed this, please leave kudos, or subscribe, or leave a comment, I really appreciate all of it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, sorry for not posting sooner, was hoping to but we went away for a few days and I never write when I'm away (I mean, I spent a year away from home and didn't write a word!) then today I've been involved in my local town's Pride event (yes, it's in September), which was kind of awesome (rainbows in the park, parading through town with people supporting us, all of the flags, it was actually really emotional). I'm hoping to make more progress with this now, in between writing job applications. Thanks for your patience.

The bathroom door opened. The bang of the handle against the wall alerted Vic, and she spun around, soap stinging her eyes. She spun back again, facing the wall, reaching out in temporarily blindness to the water above her, brushing the suds from her eyes.

“Maya! What the hell?” She closed her eyes, squeezing them shut to ward off the threat of more suds. “Get out!”

“I need your help,” Maya said, holding up a dress and her dress uniform. “Do I wear a dress? Do I go full Firefighter? Do I…dress in nothing? I don’t know what to wear. It’s my brother’s funeral. What do you wear to your brother’s funeral?”

Vic sighed, the last of the soap suds disappeared and she shut off the water. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her chest. “I’m not Andy, Mai. We don’t do this weird shower thing.”

“Sorry.” Maya stood there, still clutching both outfits, her eyes finally drifting across to Vic’s. Her face contorted. “Andy’s out. I didn’t know…”

“It’s fine.” She smiled and took the dress uniform out of her hands, clutching her wrist as she released her grip. “Let’s forget about being a firefighter for just one second, and remember being a sister.”

“You’re right.” Maya took the dress uniform once more, turned tail, and left the bathroom without another word.

Vic rubbed her eyes and shook her head. “Thanks Vic, what great advice, Victoria, you’re a good friend.”

X

The world felt like she was underwater. Every sound was dulled, everywhere she looked, things moved like a blur. She could barely think, let alone form words, or even put one foot in front of the other. When they arrived at the crematorium, the feel of Vic’s hand clutching hers made her move out of her seat in the car.

“We’re here,” Vic whispered, as she climbed out and stood staring up at the small building.

Another hand grasped at hers, wrapped around her arm. Andy pushed them forwards and they made their way into the building. She glanced from Vic, to Andy, and back again. “Thank you.”

Inside the crematorium, they sat in the first pew; Vic and Andy on one side, her parents on the other. The emptiness echoed across the room as the Celebrant spoke; the lack of guests more obvious by the lack of sobs. When the curtains closed around the coffin, Maya let out her first sob, her shoulders hunched and four hands came down on her wrist. Two on one side and two on the other.

“It was a lovely service,” Andy said, shaking hands with Maya’s parents a few minutes later.

Maya’s mom nodded her head, her cheeks red and blotchy. “Thank you for coming.”

“Always.”

Her parents hugged Maya; one after the other, her heart ached as they walked off towards their car. Their absence suddenly so painful she could barely breath. She stood, rooted to the spot, her heart thumping so hard she couldn’t catch her breath.

In the distance, a phone rang.

“I’ll be there as soon as.” Andy’s hand on her arm pulled her brain back to the moment, briefly. She squeezed her wrist. “I have to go. I’m sorry. There’s a call out, Sully needs me. I’m lucky he let me out at all.”

All she could do was nod. Her chest ached from the lack of breath, quick, brief breaths barely filling her lungs. She forged a smile.

Vic’s voice filled the empty space. “I’ll look after her.”

“I…” Maya stepped forward, not stopping until she reached a small wall. She lowered herself down, Vic’s hands on her arm, following her across the parking lot.

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not.” She heaved a sigh, her heart heavy with every harried breath. But the feel of Vic’s hand clutching hers at least made it easier to breath.

“Can I take you somewhere?”

She looked into her eyes. Gentle, soft, friendly eyes. “I don’t know where. Nowhere feels right.”

Vic clutched her hands between her own, her eyes trained on her, bearing into her soul. “I know where we can go.”

X

She didn’t know why she chose it. It was never a place she let other people see. Nobody knew of its importance, of how special it was to her. She never told anyone about the days when it all became too much, but going there grounded her, and settled her most devastated grief. She didn’t know why the moment to let someone else into her solitary place was now, but it was.

“I used to come here with Lucas.” They walked side by side, their arms brushing against each other. Vic glanced at Maya frequently, searching for the sign that something wasn’t right, or that it was. “This is where I go when I need to get away from the world.”

“Okay.” Maya shrugged and followed her into the diner. They sat opposite each other, ordered two coffees, and continued to sit in silence, until Maya finally opened her mouth again. “Why did you bring me here?”

“I dunno.” She shook her head. “I guess it makes me feel better and I thought maybe it would help you too.”

“I don’t…”

“I’m sorry.” Vic closed her eyes then stared into her coffee. “This was a stupid idea.”

A hand brushed her wrist, briefly, then dropped away again. Vic glanced at Maya’s fingers, disappearing back under her side of the table.

“It’s not stupid.” She smiled, her first genuine all day, or so Vic thought. “It feels…outside.”

“I’m not sure I’m…”

“Outside of life.” Maya sipped on her coffee. “Mason’s gone. My parents did the bare minimum of funerals, nobody fucking turned up, and I’m here in the place you shared with your dead fiancé like any of this is normal.”

“It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?” Vic asked, a soft chuckle shared between them. Maya’s chuckle switched to a laugh, until other people in the room glanced over. “I’m not sure it’s that ridiculous.”

“You brought me to the place you shared with your dead fiancé, on the day of my brother’s funeral.” Maya shook her head repeatedly; her eyes fixed on Vic’s, laughter still flowing freely. “Why?”

Vic couldn’t help but laugh. The moment was infectious, and she couldn’t help but become infected. “I don’t know. Nowhere felt right for you, so I brought you to the one place I usually feel right.”

“Do you hear yourself?” Maya leant over the table, covering her face with her hand, as she shoulders shook. The laughter suddenly subsided. She rested her forehead against her hands, as sobs replaced the chuckles.

“Mai?” Vic swallowed a lump that formed in the back of her throat. Tears pricked her eyes and she felt them threaten to fall. She brushed her hands across her cheeks and rested her hands on Maya’s shoulders. “It’s okay.”

“It’s not. It’s really not,” Maya whispered, through the tears. She lifted her head, her cheeks stained with tears. Vic let her hands drop down Maya’s sides, until her hands rested on the table in front of her. Maya laid her hands on top of Vic’s and smiled. “But it will be.”

“Yeah?” Vic’s eyebrows tugged together. She didn’t know how any of what happened suggested that.

“We’re here,” Maya said, looking around the room. “There’s a guy over there chewing a piece of toast and it’s so fricking noisy that I want to go over there and punch him. This place is…so normal. It’s normal life, and it’s carrying on around us.”

“That’s kinda why I like it,” Vic said, squeezing Maya’s hands. “It brings me back from the pain, and it reminds me that no matter what is going on, Betty is still working in that kitchen after twenty-five years, and she’ll do it for another twenty-five or until she drops dead.”

The laughter started up again, both at the same time, like clockwork. When the laughter subsided once more, Maya stared at Vic, her eyebrows furrowed, and her lips curved into a smile. “Who the fuck is Betty?”

Vic shrugged. “I come here a lot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any feedback is appreciated, whether kudos, following, or a comment. Cookies for anyone who does any of these.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been busy applying for jobs and preparing for an interview I have next week, but I finally managed to get this chapter finished. Hope you enjoy it!

“Andy not back?” Vic asked, handing a bowl of popcorn over to Maya. She shook her head. “She should move in with him.”

“I’m surprised they’re allowing it,” Maya said, tossing a handful of popcorn into her mouth and chewing.

Vic lifted one foot up under herself and tucked in to the popcorn. “You can thank Lucas for that. I didn’t know but he was putting together a proposal for new policy on co-workers dating before he died. I guess his predecessor decided it was worth fighting for.”

Maya sighed. She settled down against the couch, the popcorn between them. “What movie did you choose?”

“It’s called Fighting For Love.” The humour in her face made Maya frown. Vic smiled. “It’s gonna be cheesy, and there’s gonna be fire.”

“Ooh. My favourite kind,” Maya said, smirking.

“I got ya babe,” Vic said, tapping her hand on Maya’s knee and standing up to grab the remote. “You ready?”

“Yes.” She shifted in her seat. “Wait. Is there anyone hot in it?”

Pressing play, Vic sat back down and stared at Maya, her eyes wide. “Do you really think I’d forget the third necessary criteria for film night?”

“Perfect,” Maya said, tossing a couple of bits of popcorn into her mouth and chewing on her lip.

X

The room was dark. Vic glancing up at Maya’s face, inches from her own. Her heart raced. She swallowed a lump forming in her throat. She tried to speak but words wouldn’t form.

“You’re beautiful, you know that, right?” Maya asked, her lips curved into a smile.

A side smile formed on Vic’s face. She leant closer, her cheeks flushed and her heart continued to race. “I...I was gonna say the same about you.”

“Yeah?” Maya chewed on her bottom lip, the space between them disappeared and before Vic could stop her, Maya’s lips pressed against her own.

Hands trailed across her skin, running along the edge of Vic’s pants. Maya’s tongue tickled her neck. She could barely breathe.

“What are you doing?” Maya asked, her voice quiet against her ear.

“God, you’re so hot,” Vic whispered back, opening her eyes.

Maya’s eyebrows tugged together. “You were asleep.”

“I...what did you say?”

“I said you were asleep.”

“No. The hot thing.”

“That was you.” Maya moved the popcorn onto the table, her lips pressed together, a smirk forming. “Having a hot and sexy dream, were you?”

“No!”

“You’re blushing!”

“I...” Vic cleared her throat and sat up, putting as much space as possible between the two of them.

“You broke rule number two of film night.”

“What? What’s number two?” Her mind still on Maya’s mouth on her neck. She felt flushed.

“No falling asleep! You missed the hot girl firefighters making love in the break room.”

“I...what?”

“I know you’re not into girl on girl action but even you would have found that hot.”

Sleepy and confused, Vic shook her head. “Did I choose porn or something?”

“I’m kidding,” Maya said, smacking her gently on the thigh. “You did miss the hot guy and hot girl hooking up though. They cut to the next scene before it got anywhere exciting.”

“I’m...confused,” Vic said, rubbing her eyes. “Guess I should go to bed.”

“The movie’s not over yet!”

“Oh. Yeah.” She leant back against the couch, glancing between the movie and Maya.

“You okay?” Maya asked, frowning.

“Sure. Yeah.” She turned back to the TV, not daring to glance at Maya again.

X

Vic stood at the side of the fire truck, her eyes fixed on Travis as he went about his daily tasks. She stepped forward, then turned around and walked towards the door to the barn. In the doorway, she turned again and walked straight back to him. “I need to talk to you.”

He stood up, a slight furrowing of his eyebrows. “What about?”

“Not here.” She gripped hold of the side of his shirt and tugged him towards the stairs. After a moment she dropped the fabric and he followed her up to the conference room. Once inside, she locked the door.

“You okay?” He narrowed his eyes and folded his arms. “You look kind of...happy? I noticed it this morning.”

Silence descended over the room. She didn’t dare look him in the eye, or anywhere near him. Instead she pressed her lips tightly together, in an attempt to ward off the grin that threatened to spread across her face.

He leant in close, and in a hushed tone, he whispered “Did you meet somebody?”

“I...no...kind of...I, I don’t...” She finally met his gaze, his eyes staring down at her with expectation. She pushed the desire to grin aside. “Just shut up.”

“Okay.” He rested a hand on her shoulder, and she turned to face him. “I’ll be serious now. What’s wrong?”

She cleared her throat. A dry, tickly cough threatened her composure. “When did you...erm, how did you...realise...what normally happens when...”

“Am I gonna have to wait all day for you to finish a sentence or...?”

She shook her head. “I have this friend.”

“Right,” he said, smirking. “A “friend”.”

“I’m being serious!”

“Of course you are.” She could see it in his eyes that he was doubtful. 

“My friend has feelings for someone, or at least, they think they have feelings for someone.” The additional stress on the word friend was not necessary. She knew that, and yet did it anyway. If anything, it only made his doubt more obvious.

He lowered his hand to her shoulder again and gave it a gentle rub. “You’ve done this loads of times, Vic, I don’t know why you’re asking me...”

“She thinks she has feelings for a...a...she.” Her eyes fixed on his for the first time. She could see his brain ticking over, registering the words, and the implication of the words. She knew she couldn’t hide the truth from him in that moment.

His voice quietened once more, he leant close. “You’re having gay feelings?”

“No, it was just a dream, I...she...” She didn’t know why she was denying it. They both knew she was talking about herself. Yet, she continued up the pretense. “It’s not...it’s my friend.”

“Sure.” She let out a sigh. “So...your friend is having gay feelings, after having a gay sex dream.”

“No. They’re...not gay feelings...just...feelings for someone who is also into women.” Pulling out a chair, she sat down. Her hands were shaking. She felt goose pimples spread across her arms.

“Also?” Travis raised an eyebrow. “You mean you’re into women?”

“I didn’t...I’ve never...” She breathed in deeply and let it out slowly. The smirk on his face only sought to anger her further. Her lip curved up into a side smile and she whacked him gentle on the leg. “Travis!”

“Okay. I’m listening.” He sat down opposite her, his tone changed, softened somewhat. “Your friend has feelings for someone of the same sex.”

“Thinks they have feelings.”

“Thinks they have feelings.” He leant back against his seat. “Is it someone I know?”

The alarms blared across the station. They jumped out of their seats. Travis unlocked the door as the announcement sounded.

“Ladder Engine 19, aid car 19, apartment fire. Respond Montana Avenue.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fire scenes are not something I've written many of, so apologies for any mistakes. I'm new at this, I'm likely to panic. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the next chapter...

The smoke clouded the path. Maya moved along the corridor, with Andy on her tail. Visibility was low. They checked in occasionally, but otherwise moved in silence, motioning with their hands where possible. She led the way, up the stairwell and along the third floor corridor.

“Bishop, Herrera, the sweep of the lower floors is complete and we have a full list of residents. The only person not accounted for is Theresa Bernstein, apartment twelve. Her neighbor said she’s usually home at this time of day.”

“Captain, we just entered the third floor,” Andy said, motioning backwards with her hand. “Have we been able to access the roof yet?”

“Can’t access the roof. The fire goes all the way up. Get Theresa Bernstein out and we’ll tackle the fire from the outside. Miller and Phillips are on their way back down now; they’ll be on the second floor waiting for further instruction. If you need backup, let me know.”

“It’s got to be up here somewhere.” Maya took a deep breath and tried to moderate her breathing. They didn’t have long before Therese’s life was undoubtedly unable to be saved. The smoke thickened the further along the corridor. “We just passed eight.”

A few minutes passed. An age. Time slowed in fire, she could feel the seconds ticking by. Maya kept her eyes fixed on the wall, on any sign of doors. The corridor felt long. Visibility meant every step was slow and methodical.

“Have you found her yet?” Sullivan asked.

“No.” The answer she didn’t want to give. She could expand, but time, and oxygen, was precious.

“Progress update; Bishop, Herrera.”

Andy’s voice came over the radio. “Visible is low. We haven’t found apartment twelve yet.”

“Yes we have!” Maya shouted, then reprimanded herself silently. Her excitement could have used up vital oxygen. She stood in front of the door. The heat was immense, more so than the rest of their journey up to the third floor. “Sir...”

“Yes, Bishop?”

Her heart sank as she relayed the situation. She took off her a glove and held her hand out in front of the door, not daring to touch as the heat burned hot against her skin. “If we go through this door…there’s signs of a backdraft. We can’t get through. We can’t...I don’t think we can save her.”

“There’s got to be a way!” Sullivan said.

Andy looked at Maya, their eyes barely visible through the smoke. But they said the same thing.

“No, Captain,” Andy said. “The fire’s behind the door. The corridor is filled with smoke, but that’s it. The fire is contained in the apartment; the door is holding it in. If we open the door...we can’t open the door.”

“Okay. Then get out and we’ll continue to fight the flames from outside.”

Andy turned around. Maya watched her begin the slow descent back along the corridor towards the stairwell. She couldn’t move. She didn’t want to move knowing that someone was trapped. They were the fire department, for God’s sake. They were there to rescue people trapped inside burning buildings.

“It’s getting worse,” Andy said, still moving away. When Maya didn’t reply, she finally turned around.

The last death Maya attended was weeks ago. A man had a heart attack and fell down a ravine. It was a recovery, rather than a rescue. Maya stared from Andy to the door and back again. After her brother’s death, she’d been waiting for the first one. The first death to grace her recently bereaved door. She couldn’t breathe.

“Come on,” Andy said, grasping her arm and pulling her forward. She finally moved, each step felt like twice as long, each breath that much harder to breathe.

On the way down the stairs, she pulled off her mask. “I...I...”

“What are you doing?” Andy asked, turning around.

“I can’t...”

“We had to leave. We’ve got two floors to go. There’s too much smoke for you to do it without.”

She put her mask back on. Admitting her weakness was the last thing she wanted. She took a long, deep breath before putting her mask in place. It had to be enough. She could feel her heart hammering inside her chest; her lungs screamed for fresh oxygen, her throat ached. Tiny dots sparkled across her field of vision.

“Good work, guys,” Sullivan said the second they exited the building. Andy stopped to talk to him about the situation.

Maya pulled off her mask and stumbled across the footpath. She stood a little taller, forcing herself to appear as normal as she could. But when she looked up, she could see Vic’s eyes narrowed, staring at her. When she stumbled again, Vic rushed forward with oxygen. Her hand landed on her shoulder as her knees gave way.

“Just breathe,” Vic said, placing the oxygen mask over her mouth and helping her down to the ground.

Travis appeared a moment later with the gurney. “What’s going on?”

“I was just about to ask the same thing.” Vic stared at Maya. “You look exhausted.”

“I...I was out.”

“Of oxygen?” Vic looked to Travis and back again. “How?”

“I don’t...” She tried to speak but tears filled her eyes and she couldn’t breathe again. She choked on the oxygen filling her lungs, not getting there fast enough. She pulled the mask away. “We couldn’t save her.”

Leaning in close, Vic brushed her thumb across Maya’s cheek, smearing tears across her skin. She adjusted the mask and gripped her hand tightly. “Just breathe. Come on Mai, I’m here. You’re gonna be fine.”

“What’s happening?” Andy asked, kneeling down and resting a hand on Maya’s shoulder. “You okay?”

“We’re gonna take Bishop to get checked out.” Vic tried to stand, but Maya stared her down. She didn’t want her to go.

Travis stepped to one side with Sullivan and Andy. “She ran out of oxygen, we should check her equipment.”

“When?” Andy closed her eyes and sighed. “On the stairwell. I should have realised something was wrong.”

Sullivan patted him arm. “Take her in, Montgomery.”

“I’ll go too,” Andy said.

Sullivan shook his head. “Sorry, Herrera. I need you to stay here. The fire’s not contained and we’re already one down.”

“Okay.” She crouched down beside Maya and stroked the back of her head. “I’ll be home tonight. If I can’t see you before, I’ll get some takeout. You’ll be okay.”

X

Vic stayed in the back of the aid car with Maya, her hand rested in Vic’s. She didn’t want to let go. If she let go, her mind wandered into the darkest of places, and she wasn’t ready to go there. Generally Maya seemed okay, which was a positive sign, something which should have made Vic feel better. But the fact she was there at all, in the back of the aid car, dug into everything Vic feared since losing Lucas.

“You feeling any better?”

Maya closed her eyes and shook her head. Her chest heaved with every breath, despite the oxygen. “This is so embarrassing.”

“What happened? How did you run out of oxygen? Was there a fault? How long were you out?”

“Vic.” Maya gripped her hand tighter. “I’m okay.”

“Really? You don’t look okay. You look exhausted, you’re pale, your cheeks have no colour. You had no oxygen!”

“I…used it all.”

“What?” Vic sat upright, her fingers dropped Maya’s hand. “How? Didn’t you hear the warning?”

“No warning. We couldn’t save her,” Maya whispered, fresh tears strolling down her face.

“There was nothing you could do.”

“There was.” Maya pulled off the oxygen mask, slamming her fist down on the gurney. “I should have saved her. I should have done more. He deserved better.”

“He?”

“She. She deserved better.”

“You said he.” Vic sighed and leaned forward, taking her hand again and holding it in both hands. “Is this about your brother?”

“No.”

“It’s your first, isn’t it? The first person since Mason.”

“I…” Maya put the oxygen mask back over her mouth and breathed in deeply. “Yes.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay.” She lowered the mask again. “I screwed up. I wasted my oxygen, I breathed too much. I couldn’t stop. I should have stopped myself and focused.”

“It’s okay,” Vic said, squeezing her hand tightly. “The first is the hardest.”

“It’s not frickin’ good enough.” She breathed heavily again, slow, quick breaths.

“I need you to stop, Mai.” The vehicle slowed to a stop. Vic rested her hand on Maya’s cheek and stared into her eyes. “The more you get worked up about this the harder it is for you to breathe. It’s okay. There had to have been a fault with the warning system on your pack.”

The door opened and Vic jumped back, letting go of Maya’s hand and face. She stood up quickly, a stupid false grin on her face as she looked at Travis.

“We should get going, inside, get Bishop inside.”

Travis’s eyes widened, his lips slightly agape. Vic closed her eyes and turned away. She unlatched the gurney and together they took Maya out of the aid car and across to the waiting staff at Grey Sloan Memorial.

“This is Maya Bishop,” Vic recounted. “She was working in an apartment fire when her oxygen ran out. She nearly collapsed. She’s had oxygen throughout the journey and at the scene, but she’s still having trouble breathing. We’re not sure how long she was out of oxygen at the scene.”

“We’ll take it from here.” The man pulled the gurney through the entrance. “Let’s get her into a cubicle.”

Vic followed them across the room, but before she could enter the cubicle, the curtain closed around Maya and the doctor. She reached up to open it, but Travis pulled her back, tugging her across the room before finally stopping.

“It’s Maya?!”


	6. Chapter 6

“I can’t do this right now,” Vic said, heading for the closed curtain. She pulled it open far enough to step inside its boundary. Maya’s eyes were wide, her expression turned softer as Vic walked across the cubicle. The doctor ignored her presence and continued to check Maya over. Vic took hold of Maya’s hand. “You okay?”

Maya nodded and reached for her oxygen mask. The doctor shook his head. “Leave it on, please. No talking unless it’s vital to getting you well.”

“Vic we need to get back to the fire, in case we’re needed,” Travis said, poking his head between the gap in the curtain.

“I’m staying.” She stood a little taller, still gripping Maya’s hand. “Someone should stay with Maya.”

“Okay.” He narrowed his eyes, but Vic waved him away.

X

Within a couple of hours, Maya was given the all clear and sent home. She wasn’t much looking forward to going home, least not alone. She appreciated Vic’s company and was glad she didn’t have to find her own way back to the station. They sat side by side in the back seat of an Uber Vic booked.

“You should really be going home to rest,” Vic said, staring out of her window.

Maya shrugged. “I’ll rest at the station.”

“You really scared me today.” Vic continued to look outside. Now they were away from the hospital, the adrenaline had gone and Vic was close to tears. “The last time...”

Maya reached out and grabbed her hand. “The last time you were at a hospital with one of us was when Ripley died.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry.”

They sat in silence for the rest of the journey. Vic’s mind drifted between all the things battling for her brain’s attention. She felt guilty for feeling something for someone else. It felt too soon after Lucas. She felt confronted by feelings she didn’t quite know what to do with, feelings that battled with her previous perception about her sexuality. She felt Maya’s hand, still tucked around hers. She didn’t let go either.

“What are you doing here?” Andy asked, as they entered the station. She wrapped her arms around Maya. “You should be at home.”

“I’m fine.” She forged a smile and glanced at Vic. “Whatever argument you have for sending me home, don’t bother. Vic’s already tried.”

“But...”

Vic shrugged. “She’s stubborn.”

Andy sighed. “Stubborn or not, you should go home. Since you’re here, I guess Sullivan needs to see you. Then I’m taking you home.”

“Did he say what it was about?” Maya asked, looking towards his office. “Did they find something wrong with my oxygen bottle?”

“I don’t...I don’t know.” Andy hugged her again and led her to the door.

Once inside, Maya wished she’d asked Vic to come along. Then regretted the thought. She was growing too close to her. She could feel her heart beating the way it shouldn’t beat for someone who she knew to be straight. They were friends. Albeit, way better friends in the last few months than they used to be. She felt guilty for not wanting Andy by her side. Thankfully, she left before Sullivan began.

“Bishop, how are you doing?”

“Fine.” She sat upright, her whole body tense. “Sir.”

“Montgomery did some checks on your oxygen.”

“What did he find?”

He got out of his seat and walked around his desk. The way he perched on the edge of his desk was disconcerting. He stared down at her, his stature felt so much greater than usual.

“Do you think you ran out of oxygen, Bishop?”

“Ye, yes, Sir. I couldn’t breathe.”

“Is there another reason why you might not have been able to breathe?”

She shook her head. She didn’t know what he was implying but it unsettled her. She remembered breathing into her oxygen mask one minute, then being unable to find a breath the next.

“There was nothing wrong with the tank.” His eyebrows curved in such a way that she knew he felt sorry for her. She hated that. “You had oxygen left, Bishop. The valve was fine. Your mask was fine. I don’t know what happened but it wasn’t a mechanical failure.”

She stood up and headed toward the door, before turning back. “That’s impossible.”

“I’ve been there, Maya. After my wife died. We’ve all been there.”

She frowned. “You’ve all collapsed because you ran out, or what?”

“We’ve all felt like the world was too much, and we couldn’t breathe.”

She ran a hand through the back of her hair. Her eyes bugged. “That’s not what happened.”

He stood and reached out his hands, placing them on her shoulders. The way he stared bore her down and she couldn’t stop the words that flowed.

“We couldn’t save her. She was going to die. How could we just leave her like that? How could I let someone else die?”

“Someone else?” He narrowed his eyes.

She pushed his hands off her shoulders and headed for the exit. “I have some personal issues and I think I should take some time off.”

“That’s a wise decision.” He folded his arms as she pulled open the door. “I’d like to refer you to a therapist. After an initial assessment they will determine whether you’re fit for duty.”

“No!” She turned again. Rage built up, but she pushed it down. “I don’t...I just wanted a couple of days.”

“I’m not recommending that.” He smiled, his lips curved and his face softened. “Bishop. I want you back at work as soon as we can make it happen. It might be that we put you on reception, or only on aid car. But for now I think it’s necessary that you don’t go into a fire.”

“Right.” She couldn’t find reason to argue. The day had scared her, not that she’d admit that. She didn’t think she wanted to go into a fire any time soon, either. If only because of how much it had hurt to leave that woman in there. All she wanted to do, for now, was head home and sleep.

X

She walked past Sullivan’s office for the fourth time. Each time she hoped there’d be sign of life. That maybe she’d catch Maya coming out and could find out what had happened. Each time she was left disappointed.

“Hey, Vic!” Travis headed down the stairs towards her. She walked into the barn. “Don’t be avoiding me.”

“I’m not. I have work to do.” She opened one of the doors on the engine and pulled out one of the tools.

“I already sorted the engine earlier with Miller.”

She lowered her head, still clutching the wire cutters. She wanted to avoid this conversation but he was like a dog with a bone. “Fine, what do you want?”

“To talk. You dropped this bombshell on me and then cut me off like I’m not your best friend.”

“That’s not...” She sighed. “I don’t know if I’m ready.”

“Maybe talking about it will make you feel more ready to talk about it.”

“No. I mean...ready to go there.” The excitement over her feelings was shadowed by how big the whole thing felt. Relationships were supposed to be enjoyable, to be exciting. She didn’t know how she felt about moving on, or stepping into territory that had a whole history of intolerance. “I don’t know what this means.”

“In what way?”

“Am I gay? If I’m gay then what does that mean for me and Lucas?”

“Do you need a label?”

“No.” She placed the wire cutter back into the engine and closed the door. “I don’t know. Doesn’t the world?”

He shrugged. “In some ways it makes it easier. But it’s okay to not know where you fit on the spectrum. Liking M...someone doesn’t mean that you’re gay, or bi, or straight. But one thing you need to consider before you even go there: is it what you really want? People don’t like to be experiments. If you’re not sure, you need to be honest.”

“Okay.” The mere suggestion of her feelings being an experiment worried her. She didn’t want Maya to think that, and if Travis was considering it, maybe Maya would be too. “Have you seen Maya come out yet?”

“Yeah. She came out twenty minutes ago. Andy took her home.”

“Oh.”

He ran a hand along her arm. “She looked shattered. If it’s any consolation, I think she was looking for you. The whole way out of the door she kept glancing around.”

“Really?” Vic grinned.

“I don’t know if what she’s feeling is the same as what you’re feeling, but from everything I’ve seen today, if I had to guess, I would say you’re in with a chance.”

Vic’s grin barely faltered. Somewhere, in amongst adrenaline, an ounce of hope kept her lips curved into the most ridiculous smile.

X

By the time she climbed into bed, Maya’s whole body was ready to rest. She was glad Andy was there to help her change, if only because she couldn’t focus hard enough. The doctor told her to rest, to take it easy. She’d already ignore his advice once. Now she wondered if he was right.

“When Vic gets home can you tell her to come see me?” Maya asked, climbing under the bed sheets.

“Sure,” Andy said, pulling the sheets up around her front. “But you really should get some sleep.”

Whatever words Maya was about to say disappeared into a yawn. She rested her head against her pillow and closed her eyes. “I know but I need to tell her...”

“Tell her what?” Andy ran a hand across Maya’s head, brushing her hair from her face.

She yawned again. “How much I want her...”

“Want her for what?”

She wrapped her arms around her bed sheets and pulled them close, her eyes still closed. “I think she wants me too”

“Maya, what are you talking about?” Andy frowned. But Maya didn’t respond. She sighed. “Mai?”

Silently, she pulled the bed sheets a little higher and kissed her on the forehead, before slipping out of the room.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was lots of fun to write. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Even if it is a little...awkward? I'm hoping I'll get the next chapter of Life Unexpected up soon. This one is really inspiring me this weekend.

_Maya ran so fast her feet ached and her heart felt like it was going to explode. The darkness surrounded her. Every inch she could see was bathed in black. The tiniest light shone up ahead, keeping her from falling over as she sped onward._

_“Help me, Maya.”_

_She stopped. “Mason?”_

_“Help me. Save me.”_

_She pushed on; placing each foot, one after the other, onto the floor. The aching increased. But she had to keep moving. She couldn’t stop until she reached him._

_“Faster, or it’ll be too late.”_

_“I’m trying.” Tears flowed down her cheeks. She could see a light in the distance. The faster she ran, the farther away it seemed to get. “I’m trying. It’s not working.”_

_“It’s too late.”_

_“No.” She sped up, running so fast that her knees and hips hurt as much as her feet. The light in the distance faded into black. “Mason? Mason, where did you go?”_

_“I’m sorry. You’re too late.”_

_She screamed out. “No!”_

Her ankle gave way and she tumbled forward, rolling over until she landed on her side. She opened her eyes. The bed sheets were tangled around her body. She could see the side of her bed above her. The carpet beneath her was hard and uncomfortable.

“Mason?” she whispered, her chest heaving with each breath. The world had returned to normal and her dream was a distant memory fading fast. She could still feel the pain lingering in her heart, and her hip.

Every breath felt like a ton weight. Maya untangled herself from the bed sheets and stood up. She straightened her sleeveless shirt and shorts and left the bedroom. In the kitchen she downed a small glass of water and headed to the couch. Halfway there, she turned and went towards Vic’s bedroom. She lifted a hand to knock, then hesitated. It was late. She didn’t know how late. She just knew it wasn’t the time to be disturbing her.

Instead, she pushed open the bedroom door and watched her for a moment as she slept. She was about to head back to her own bedroom, but the very thought left her feeling jittery. All she wanted was some comfort. The problem with that was she’d have to disturb her.

Walking into the room and closing the door behind her, Maya felt like an intruder. Vic slept on the left side of the bed. Her dark curls covered half of her face. Maya closed her eyes. She knew how creepy it would be if Vic woke to find her standing there. She stepped forward, not wanting to go back to her own bed, to be alone.

“Vic?” she whispered, too quiet to be heard, but loud enough to feel like she’d tried. When no response came, she pulled back the right side bed sheets and climbed in beside her.

X

The sun shone into the room through a gap in the curtain. Vic made a mental note to get some new curtains, or at least close them better. She groaned. She wasn’t ready to be awake. She rubbed her tired eyes with both hands and glanced down at her stomach. A hand splayed out across her belly made her doubt everything she remembered from the night before?

“Hello?” she said, not daring to look beside her for fear of what she might find. She’d been tempted to bring someone home from the bar a couple of times in the last few months, but something stopped her. She wasn’t sure she was ready for that. Now she wasn’t sure what was happening. She turned her head, cautiously. When her eyes landed on Maya, her heart sped up. “Maya?”

“Morning,” Maya whispered, stretching her arms above her head. Her shirt had ridden up her stomach, leaving her belly button on show. Her muscular arms flexed with her stretch. Vic made a mental note of her toned skin. Maya lifted her head and opened her eyes. “You don’t mind that I crashed here, do you?”

“Cr…crashed?” Vic asked, her eyes wide. “No. No. No. Not at all. You can crash here any time.”

“What’s wrong?” Maya sat up, her eyes fixed on Vic’s. “What’s with the unnecessary number of nos?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all. Everything’s fine.” Vic slipped out from under the sheets, thankful she was fully clothed. She reached out and opened the curtains, ignoring Maya’s gaze. She walked around the bed and headed for the door. “I need to shower.”

The water flowed from the shower head and Vic couldn’t wait to get under the steaming water. She slipped her shirt over her head and began to tug her pyjamas pants down. Before she could get them past her butt, the door opened and she pulled them up quickly, grabbing a towel and covering her bare breasts.

“Maya? What the fuck?” she asked, wrapping her arms tightly around her body, protecting her modesty.

“We need to talk.” Maya stepped closer.

“No.” Vic stepped back, colliding with the shower door. “I need to shower. You need to leave.”

“It’ll only take a second.” The space between them shrunk and Vic couldn’t find the words to protest. “Something’s changed, and I want to know if you feel it too.”

Vic wrapped her arms tighter around her front, holding the towel in place. “What’s changed?”

“Between us.” Maya reached out a couple of fingers and ran them along Vic’s cheek. “I know you’re not…but, I’m not seeing things, am I?”

The close proximity made it impossible for Vic to speak. The feel of Maya’s fingers on her cheek took her breath away. She stared down at her lips, parted ever so slightly. She closed her eyes and leaned forward, not thinking for the briefest moment as their lips touched, ever so slightly.

The door handle made noise and Vic moved back quickly. Maya twisted around. Andy stood in the open doorway, her eyebrows tugged inward.

“You guys alright?”

“Fine,” Maya said, forging a smile as she slipped past Andy. “Vic beat me to the shower.”

“Right,” Vic said, clutching the towel a little tighter. She averted her gaze and pointed at the water behind her. “I should…”

“Is your shower not working, Maya?” Andy asked, looking from Maya to Vic and back again.

“No.” Maya shook her head and walked away. “I should call a plumber.”

Andy picked up her toothbrush and toothpaste and held them up as she backed out of the room. The towel dropped out of Vic’s hand and she ran to the door, turning the lock. She climbed into the shower without another thought, until the hot water rolled across her skin. The brief feel of Maya’s lips on hers filled her mind and she trailed her fingers across her mouth.

X

“What’s going on?” Andy asked, following Maya into her bedroom.

Maya shrugged. “My shower’s broken, I went to use the other one, and Vic was already in there.”

“You expect me to believe that?” Andy folded her arms and stared Maya down. Maya stared back. She could give as good as she got in any battle, and she wasn’t about to lose now. “Last night when you were half asleep you talked about wanting Vic.”

“Wanting her to do what?” Maya asked, keeping her face completely straight. Inside she felt her resolve crumble. What had she done? They’d almost kissed. It was Vic. Victoria Hughes. She wasn’t gay. She wasn’t even bi. She was…well, they’d never really discussed it any detail.

Andy leaned closer, her eyes fixed on Maya’s. “You tell me. You said you thought she wanted you too.”

“Did I?” Maya forged a confused expression. “I must have been shattered, why else would I say something so bizarre?”

“Bizarre? That’s all you’ve got to say? You’re not…into Vic, are you?”

She laughed loudly, and though she knew it was partly faked, the very concept did make her want to laugh. Somehow things had changed between them and she didn’t really know when, or how. It all left her feeling rather overwhelmed.

“No, of course not,” she said, shaking her head. “I must have been having a weird dream, or something. It’s not like it’s the first time. Had a few about you, too.”

Andy’s eyes grew wide. “Weird dreams? Like…sex dreams? About me?”

“Sure.” Maya shrugged. “Not had one about you for, like, four years. Haven’t had one about Vic in almost as long.”

“I…I don’t really know what to say about that,” Andy said, stepping back. “I can’t say I’ve ever…”

“Course not,” Maya said. “I mean, I’ve had them about all of you. Miller, Sullivan, Warren.”

“Warren? Really?”

She nodded animatedly and reached for her cell phone, dialling before Andy could say another word. “Sure. Hello? I know I’ve not called you in a while, but I’ve got a shower issue.”

“Right.” Andy backed up and left the room with a slight wave, closing the door behind her.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still waiting to hear on one of the jobs I interviewed for last week, but I've been offered the other one. Providing the first is a no-go, I'll be starting work at the end of the week. Which hopefully means I'll be writing on the way there/back, so hoping productivity will not suffer at all. I enjoyed writing this chapter...

“I kissed her.” Vic leant against the store room door and waited for Travis to say something. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. “Well?”

He trailed a hand along the shelf of oxygen tanks and stared at her. “Maya?”

“No, Pope John Paul.” She scoffed and tapped him on the arm. “Yes, Maya.”

“And?”

She shrugged. “And what?”

“What happened?” He narrowed his eyes, his curiosity piqued. “Did she kiss you back?”

She turned away from him and moved a pile of packaged crew shirts from one side of the shelf to the other. She picked up the top packet, piling them up by size. “Well, it started with her telling me she felt something, but no. Andy walked in and it got awkward.”

He straightened up a couple of boxes. “What happened next?”

“She left to call a plumber.” Vic glanced at Travis, and he caught her eye, frowning. “Don’t ask.”

“What does this mean? Are you two a thing?”

“No. How am I supposed to know?”

“Do you want to be a thing?”

“I...yeah.” A grin spread across her face, so wide that her cheeks ached. “I think so.”

His teeth bared, Travis made the tiniest squeal. “This is so exciting!”

Vic piled the shirts back on top of each other and ran her hands across the front of his pants. “What...what do I do?”

“With what?” Travis asked.

“With everything.” She licked her bottom lip and chewed on it. “What do I do next? Do I ask her out? Do I try to kiss her again? Should I talk to her? Should I surprise her in her bedroom? Or jump her in the beanery?”

“Would jump anyone in the beanery?” He laughed and shook his head, resting a hand on each shoulder. “What would you do if she was a man?”

“I’d probably ask her out…” She sighed. “But she’s not a man. She’s...Maya. We work together, we live together. We spend so much time together how do I even know this isn’t some weird thing my brain is doing because I’m so used to being around her?”

“It’s not.”

“How would you know?”

“Oh, Vic.” He cupped her cheek and grinned. “You’ve given off a vibe as long as I’ve known you.”

“I have?” She raised an eyebrow. The first time she thought about the vibe she gave off, a woman at the academy came onto her. Naturally she’d rejected her. Now all she could think about was how much other people had realised that. “Do you think Maya noticed?”

“I guess you should probably ask her,” he said. “Plan something nice; a few glasses of wine, a casual conversation at your apartment, some takeout.”

“And have Andy walk in again?”

He rolled his eyes slowly from one side to the other, before focusing on Vic. “Leave that to me...”

She tossed her hands out at either side. “What are you gonna do?”

He shrugged. “I have two tickets to a show I forgot I couldn’t go to, with dinner reservations beforehand. I’ll suggest Sullivan take them for him and Andy.”

“You do?”

“No. But I can get some.”

Her smile grew wider. “You’d do that for me?”

“I’ll be sending you the bill...”

The night alone with Maya was all she wanted, but the more she considered it, the more doubts spun around her mind. “I dunno.”

“Don’t back out on me now, Hughes.”

“I, just...” She hesitated. Ripley’s face flashed into her mind. “I don’t know if I’m ready.”

“Come on, Vic. You don’t have to have sex with her.”

She swallowed, averting her gaze for the briefest moment. “What if I want to?”

“Then go for it.”

“On the first date?” The amount riding on the night was too much to bear. “What if she isn’t even interested?”

“Don’t overthink it.” He opened the door and pushed her through it. “Now get back to work before someone asks what we’ve been doing in here for so long.”

X

The call came in twenty minutes later. Vic climbed into the driver’s seat, while Maya sat in the front passenger seat. Vic stared out of the front window, focused on her driving, and thinking of how to say the words she wanted to say. She silently wished Jack hadn’t left. Then she’d be in the back seat like she used to be. Then again, if Jack and Maya’s relationship hadn’t broken down, she wouldn’t be driving the engine at all, and she enjoyed it. If Jack hadn’t taken up a Captain position at Station 7, then Maya wouldn’t currently be single, and none of this would be happening.

Every few moments, Maya’s eyes landed on Vic. She could feel her gaze. She glanced back, and forged a smile.

“I was thinking,” Maya said. “You wanna get some takeout tonight, watch a movie?”

Vic glanced at her again, before fixing her gaze on the road ahead. “I was thinking the same. But maybe instead of a movie we can…talk.”

“Sure.”

The ladder up ahead slowed to a stop, and Vic pulled the engine in behind it. She didn’t want the moment to end. But the new guy was in the back, and they had a fire to deal with. Vic turned off the engine and before she could say another word, Maya climbed out.

X

Maya placed the bottle of white wine on the table and handed Vic a glass, sitting down beside her with her own. She took a sip and stole a glance at Vic, before focusing once more on her drink. For what felt like the longest moment, Vic didn’t say anything, and neither did Maya.

“Hopefully the food won’t be long,” Vic said, sipping her wine and rolling her eyes.

“Yeah.” Maya trailed a finger around the rim of her glass. She didn’t usually feel nervous, least not when it came to matters of the heart. It helped that usually she didn’t invest too much into her relationships, so it never mattered if they shared many common interests. She already knew that she liked Vic, as a friend…and as the potential for more. “I had Chinese last week and it took forever.”

Vic shrugged. “I’m not that hungry yet anyway.”

“Me neither.” Maya placed her glass on the table, lifted her legs under her and leant an elbow on the back of the couch. In the movement, she had somehow shifted closer to Vic. Her fingers were inches from Vic’s shoulder. “What did you want to talk about?”

“You know…” Vic rested her elbows on her knees, putting distance between them. Maya regretted moving closer. Even more so when Vic’s side smile showed up. “I don’t really know what to say.”

“You regret kissing me and you just want us to be friends,” Maya said, forging a smile. “It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine. The more the moment passed, the harder Maya fell, and the worse she felt. Vic put her glass down. She sat upright and twisted her body, running her hands along her thighs as she turned to face Maya. She knew the words were coming, confirmation that what she’d said was the truth.

Then Vic’s lips landed on hers. She hesitated for the briefest moment. Vic paused, pulling back ever so slightly. Without a second thought, Maya cupped Vic’s cheeks and closed the gap. Gentle, brief collisions made way for a continuous action. Her chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath, too invested in the kiss that evoked her senses, right down to her toes. Maya tried to pull away, but Vic’s fingers tangled in her hair, holding her in place, pulling her closer. She gained the slightest space, big enough to breath, before parting her lips, and allowing Vic’s tongue into her waiting mouth. She leant forward, pushing herself against Vic’s body. It was a risky move, but she needed to feel closer to her. She succumbed to her act and they lay on the couch, Maya feeding on Vic’s lips, lost in the make out session like a teenager. Not expecting anything more, just enjoying the feel of their mouths guiding the way.

The doorbell rang. Maya sprang up, her chest heaving. She stared at Vic, who moved slower, her fingers against her mouth.

“That’ll be the Chinese,” Vic whispered, barely able to catch a breath. She got to her feet before Maya could say another word. In silence, Maya sat back in her spot, trying to level out her breathing before Vic returned with the food. If all they did that night was that one kiss, then Maya could go to sleep happy.


End file.
